BLANCO COUNTY, Texas — Nearly a month after Foremost Group CEO Angela Chao was found dead in Central Texas, authorities say an investigation into her death remains ongoing.
A recent report suggested Chao's death is now part of a criminal investigation after her body was recovered from a pond on a private ranch in Blanco County.
"Nothing has changed," Chief Deputy Robert Woodring with the Blanco County Sheriff's Office said on Monday. "Our preliminary investigation has determined this to be an unfortunate accident."
Just days after her death, KVUE Senior Reporter Tony Plohetski and KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman reported Blanco County officials declined to give basic information or records on the deadly incident requested under the Texas Public Information Act.
Authorities determined Chao, the sister-in-law of Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, died "from being under the water" after emergency measures were attempted. No foul play has been suspected, but Woodring said the investigation won't be closed until all the information necessary has been gathered and documented.
Chao's background, career
Before entering the workforce, Chao studied at Harvard University's Business School, where she wrote a study called "Ocean Carriers" still used by students today.
Most recently, Chao lived in Austin and worked as CEO of the shipping company Foremost Group, based in New York City, among other organizations. Her husband, James, is the founder of Breyer Capital and a minority owner of the Boston Celtics.
Chao's sister, Elaine Chao, was married to McConnell and previously worked as secretary of transportation, while her father, Dr. James S.C. Chao, was the original Foremost Group founder.
Foremost Group statement
Following her death, the Foremost Group released a statement that said, in part, "Angela believed that the foundational element of success is the belief that shipping is not an asset finance business but that it's about people. She placed special emphasis on paying attention to the care and well-being of our crews and to everyone onboard and onshore who played a role in performing our services. As a result, her leadership in the shipping industry was widely recognized."
